The governor’s biggest regret and best highlight for the year sound pretty much the same.
Governor Scott Walker wraps up another year in office. He has one big regret: the recall election and the grueling campaign that preceded it. “It’s something that was out of my control, but I’d love to have not had a recall, not just for myself personally, but because I think for six months of this year a lot of employers were kind of sitting on their hands and waiting. And so it’d be nice if we didn’t have that, but it’s done. June 5th was a good day, not so much just because personally I won — although, obviously, I’m happy I did — but more because it was over; it done. We’ve moved on.”

Opponents chant as Walker recall signatures are carried into the GAB offices. (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
It all started in 2011 when Walker passed the collective bargaining bill. Opponents called it a power grab. That led to a year and a half of political turmoil and record campaign spending. It ended with Walker becoming the first governor in U.S. history to win a recall election.
Perhaps that’s why the governor also named the recall election the highlight of the past year in office. “Obviously it’s a nice thing to win. If nothing else, I went down in history as the first governor ever elected twice in the same term, but on a serious note, just the fact that that’s done.”
Walker also mentions as a highlight the week following the recall when he hosted a so-called brat summit at the executive residence for all 132 lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle.
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:30